Vincent, My name is Gina, I know you have been corresponding with Jude our features editor but I am the reporter who actually travelled to Borley last night with a spiritual medium. I do have a few questions and hope you will be able to provide some of your thoughts to go into my article if that is okay with you (we go to press on Wednesday morning). I just wondered if your mother Marianne ever discussed Borley and her experiences there with you, if so can you shed any light on the phenomenon? Also I think I would be right in assuming that you have been there, and I just wondered what your experiences were there and and your sense of the place? What were your mother's feelings towards Harry Price, did she believe him to be the geuine article? I would be truly grateful to receive your input on these matters and will be more than happy to send you a copy of the finished piece. Regards, Gina Marden
[My mother never discussed Borley. She was trying to protect me from the droves of investigators and snoops. So many investigators thought our private lives were somehow connected to the alleged haunting, which of course was not true. Please refer to How I uncovered the Borley secret on my web site. Yes, I have visited. Each time, I was so keyed up if any signs were given to me, I would have missed them. You can read about my 1997 visit on my web site. Iris Owen wrote that my mother believed, "Harry Price performed a magic trick when he converted the wine, but does not accuse him of any other trickery." Mother disliked Price and did not trust him. She told Owen he was "a clever one." See my web site. My web site includes my ideas about the place.]

Hastie, Jack. "Borley Postscript." The Paranormal Review. London: The Society for Psychical Research. October, 2003. p. 15. Letter. (Looks at the Rev. Clive Luget testimony in Borley Postscript by Peter Underwood. Luget talked to Underwood in 1948, saying "he was once in the company of Marianne and Lionel Foyster in the Blue Room, when they heard a sound of scribbling, and, on looking round, saw a pencil drop to the floor, and letters 2 to 3 inches high on the wall." Hastie wonders why Underwood did not use the startling account in his 1973 book, The Ghosts of Borley. Hastie points out that Luget "claimed to be visited by apparitions of the Virgin Mary." Confusing the issue is the testimony Luget gave Underwood saying he had visited Borley "many times in the 1930's and 1940's," when the rectory burned down in 1939.) ** photocopy

[Hastie, Jack. "The Haunting of Borley Village." The Paranormal Review. London: The Society for Psychical Research. January 2002. pp. 18-24. (Lengthy and objective condensation of the various coverages - pro and con - over the years, including both the Dingwall/Goldney/Hall report of 1956, and the Hastings rebuttal of 1969. - Often quoted reply by Vincent O'Neil asked "When does a haunting cease to be a hauting."]

[Yes, father and son. Edward - 1803/1871 - was rector of Pentlow.]

There is plenty of information on these topics on the Foxearth Historical Society site. . . .The Foxearth site is getting around 70 visits a day even though nobody except your site has provided links. Our users seem very pleasant, appreciative people. [A researcher] came across the incredible story about Edward Bull being attacked by a herd of swine. We have keyed-in the 'Extent of Borley' to make it easier to study. I'm currently formatting it up. We are so lucky to have such detail from the 14th century. Incidentally, the gothic summerhouse was built before the Bull's Borley rectory. It is actually a folly, designed to be viewed from the house. Its style is 'Strawberry Hill Gothic', and is pretty easy to date as the fashion did not last long. Henry Bull couldn't have obtained such a thing in his day. It therefore was not put up to watch for the nun - another Bull fabrication I fear. (Watch for an upcoming Sidelight). - Andrew Clarke

Maple, Eric; Myring, Lynn. Haunted Houses - ghosts and spectres. London: Usborne, 1979. "The most haunted house in the world?" pp. 8-11, 15, 53. (Small hardback designed for youth. Lushly illustrated, including a unique exploded and labeled drawing of the rectory. Worth having if only for this map, contains excellent synopsis.)**

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. That is the book/information I am looking for. Halloween always get me back in the mode to see if I can find a copy of the book. I remember it having some great stories/illustrations ... especially the Borley section was very memorable. I was delighted years later to come across Simon Marsden's account of the Borley Rectory in his excellent book "The Haunted Realm." Thanks again for your response. It is greatly appreciated. - Charles Mills

The English Premiere of THE TWILIGHT HOUR Visions of Ireland's Haunted Past An 82 minute documentary/drama based on Simon Marsden's latest book of the same title, directed by Jason Figgis and featuring readings by John Hurt will be shown at THE ELECTRIC CINEMA, Notting Hill, London on Thursday 30th October. *** For further information/tickets regarding this, the book and other screenings visit www.simonmarsden.co.uk - LATEST NEWS section, or tel/fax 00-44-(0)1507-313-646

I wish I lived in England, so I could see The Twilight Hour - Linda Cody

Meek, George W. & Bertha Harris. Seance and Science. New York: Regency Press, 1973. Meek relates findings of twentieth-century science to the fifty years of paranormal experiences of Bertha Harris. Foreword by Sir Kelvin Spencer.

I wanted to let you know how excited I was to see that Andrew Clarke has bravely broached the topic of comparing of Marianne's handwriting to that of the Borley wall writing. I have been mentally debating over this topic since I first read about Borley in my teens. I had a much-loved little Scholastic Book Fairs paperback called "Hauntings," which covered Borley, the "Brown Lady" photo taken at Raynham Hall, and other famous (mostly British) hauntings. The "Marianne please help get" photograph of the wall writing was an endless source of fascination to me! I'm thrilled to revisit my first interest in Borley Rectory. Your "headings" for the topics covered in the newsletter ("The writing is on the wall," "The mystery is in the yard," etc.) are a fine example of your subtle brand of humor, Vince -- this newsletter is one of the true highlights of my month! - Linda Cody

More feedback

What a wonderful article you wrote on Glanville. It really does him justice. I'm quite jealous. I wish I'd written something so good. Understanding the contribution of the Glanville family gives the key to understanding the entire mystery of what happened at Borley Rectory. I spoke to Trevor Hall about Glanville. Trevor had the utmost admiration for him, and as warm a friendship as old Trevor ever had (he and my father got on well too). They were very similar in temperament (and both were trained surveyors). Glanville was a long way down the road to disillusionment with Price when Trevor met him and the two formed a real friendship. Glanville gave Hall the Locked Book so that Hall should get it transcribed, bound and presented to the major world libraries. This he did, and, I believe, sold the original to defray his expenses. (I assume this-I never asked him about it). Glanville was, evidently, the source of quite a lot of the criticisms about Price in the Dingwall, Hall and Goldney book.
I was amused by your comments about Glanville's lack of skills in human psychology. The case is of the utmost interest from the psychological complexity of the Bulls and Foysters. Several times, I have thought I'd got a grip on the psychodynamics of what was going on and the detail has hit me on the nose, and made me tear up the theory. What a minefield. I sometimes think it would be far easier to believe in the ghosts. - Andrew Clarke

Dear Andrew. . . . thank you for your kind words about my Glanville piece, especially as I consider that your ongoing series of Sidelights represent the best work that anyone has done in the field of Borley for years. Your writing puts the entire business into perspective & relates it to the real world (of those times). I think too many people see the story of the Rectory in isolation, as well as not taking into account the incredible changes that have gone on socially since the days of the Bulls & the Foysters. As you say, Glanville is one of the most important characters in the Borley drama, yet he appears very transparent (no ghostly associations meant here!) & the general lack of appreciation of him & what he did is made evident by the way he has been treated in the Borley books. The Price tenancy for me is the most interesting part of the Rectory story and SHG & his family take centre stage in the action. I harbour a little fantasy of my own - I admit in that I would have loved to have been the forty-ninth official observer in 1937 & 1938! I find your comments about Hall & SHG very interesting. Knowing Hall personally must be very helpful in this context. The period after Price's death, Glanville's involvement with the projected Borley symposium & his relation with Hall is a complex business with lots of conflicting views & lots of opinions are made remote from it all. My family commitments at the moment mean that my biography of SHG will be a way off, but I am working at it slowly but surely. I'm concentrating on putting together a chronological list of the Price tenancy at the moment & getting my head round the various comings & goings in the place. I hope to put together some more essays, each covering three month periods during that time. I have made an appointment next week to visit the University of London Library to look through the Borley papers. I'm so looking forward to seeing Glanville's own letters & reports, & especially his drawings of the Rectory. - Paul Adams

Thanks for your very kind comments about the Sidelights. I often wonder if anyone reads them, but they are so much fun to write that I cannot help myself. I hope that you add Kerr-Pearce to your list of interesting people. His contribution was also downplayed by Harry Price. The Glanville seance material might yet produce something of interest. I shall never touch it because it has produced such a lot of bunkum over the years, and both Katie Boreham and Marie Lairre have proved to be red-herrings. There is an awful lot still to discover about Borley Rectory. Most of it is in the existing source material. We just have to read it with minute detail, and an open mind. Best of luck with the research. - Andrew Clarke

is this Story true? - GhettoQueen592@aol.com
[That question has fueled debate for decades. My goal is to present everything possible on the subject, and let the reader decide. Thanks for your interest.]

[This web site] Has a picture of the church. I was hoping someone had a Ghost Cam set up, but it seems not. -

I first heard about Borley in 1987 when I met Aurther Casey and off and on though the years went with him to Borley. - Karl Edwards

I thought you might like to see the new publication we have added to the Foxearth site. it is a pamphlet, a guide-book really, a cousin of mine wrote called The Stour from source to Sea. - Andrew Clarke

I thank Mr. Clarke for the overlapping maps, I am a sucker for Maps. And has there been an answer to the question about the unopened door in 1988? That is amazing, I would have opened it. I would love to hear any updates on that subject. - Kathy Rageur

Was these Tunnels haunted by spirits to? These Tunnels have people found out where they are yet,and what was discoverd [maybe human remains] The silence of Borley still is quiete,Has the nun reappeard as many sightseers seen this ghost of a sad nun still waiting for her lover,does any body know why she still haunts the grounds of nuns walk,why dosent people try and help her and to make her rest in peace.It must get so boaring for the nun to haunt the same place every day and night.where is she buired,if people knew where she was buried many people would put flowers on her grave and may be that she will know that she is still not alone people who still care. - karen fowler

Do you, by any chance, know where I can get ahold of personal information about Capt. Gregson. I am in my Senior year of study of history at Benedictine College and one of my classes entails doing research on the principle characters of the drama of Borley. Any information you can provide would be most helpful. Thank you. - James Allee
[All the information I have on Capt. Gregson is posted on the website - try using the Goggle search bar. I will post your request in the next issue of the Borley Ghost Society newsletter, and if any of our associates have information, they will pass it along to you. We would very much like to see your report when you finish, and would be happy to post it on the web site.]

As always a wonderful Newsletter. I cannot imagine how you manage to keep up the standard. If anyone wants to take up the idea of a Borley Rectory convention, I'd be pleased to host it as long as there are no great local objections My drawing room can hold fifty people comfortably but I've squeezed 100 in there! . . . . . It may be best for local sensibilities to have a Foxearth and District Local History Society meeting on Borley Rectory, with an informal meeting here afterwards. - Andrew Clarke

The M R JAMES web site is called GHOSTS AND SCHOLARS which is run by Rosemary Pardoe from Cheshire in England. It is dedicated to the work of England's greatest ghost story writer, MONTAGUE RHODES JAMES. It has recently become the G/S newsletter, but any one with an interest in mrj work should check it out. Rosemary has kindly given the BGS a recomendation to her readers and was very impressed with the scope of the BGS site.
There is a photo of the rectory from the drive in the book "THE GIANT BOOK OF MYSTERIES" edited by colin, rowan and damon wilson. i think the otherwise meticulous mr wilson has made a mistake though on the page next the photo, he says the Bull sisters saw the nun, on the 28 july 1900 on the nuns walk. i always thought it was in the middle of the lawn. perhaps you can clarify? - Eddie Brazil
[Page 45 of MHH says, "The figure was slowly gliding. . . . .along the Nun's Walk in the direction of the stream." That answers YOUR question, but opens up an entirely new one - was the path of the nun so familiar by 28 July 1900, that it already HAD a name, or was Price using literary license by telescoping history and using the title given AFTER that most famous sighting?]